1997 WMHB Atlantic hurricane season
The 1997 Atlantic hurricane season was a below average season. It officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period in each year in which most tropical cylones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1997 season was inactive, and featured only 8 named storms. Only three of the season's named storms became hurricanes, and just one became a major hurricane. The season's activity was limited by a short-lived weak El Nino event, while activity in the East Pacific basin was increased. The season's first storm, Tropical Storm Ana, developed on June 15, while the season's last system, Hurricane Henri, dissipated on October 2 at an unusually early time. Seasonal Summary ImageSize = width:800 height:240 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:20 left:20 Legend = columns:3 left:30 top:58 columnwidth:270 AlignBars = early DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/06/1997 till:01/11/1997 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMinor = grid:black unit:month increment:1 start:01/07/1997 Colors = id:canvas value:gray(0.88) id:GP value:red id:TD value:rgb(0.38,0.73,1) legend:Tropical_Depression_=_<39_mph_(0–62_km/h)_(TD) id:TS value:rgb(0,0.98,0.96) legend:Tropical_Storm_=_39–73_mph_(63–117 km/h)_(TS) id:C1 value:rgb(1,1,0.80) legend:Category_1_=_74–95_mph_(119–153_km/h)_(C1) id:C2 value:rgb(1,0.91,0.46) legend:Category_2_=_96-110_mph_(154-177_km/h) id:C3 value:rgb(1,0.76,0.25) legend:Category_3_=_111-130_mph_(178-209-km/h) id:C4 value:rgb(1,0.56,0.13) legend:Category_4_=_131-155_mph_(210-249_km/h) id:C5 value:rgb(1,0.38,0.38) legend:Category_5_=_>=156_mph_(>=250_km/h) Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Hurricane bar:Month PlotData= barset:Hurricane width:11 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till from:15/06/1997 till:18/06/1997 color:TS text:"Ana (TS)" from:21/07/1997 till:26/07/1997 color:C1 text:"Bill (C1)" from:09/08/1997 till:21/08/1997 color:C2 text:"Claudette (C2)" bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas from:01/06/1997 till:01/07/1997 text:June from:01/07/1997 till:01/08/1997 text:July from:01/08/1997 till:01/09/1997 text:August from:01/09/1997 till:01/10/1997 text:September from:01/10/1997 till:01/11/1997 text:October TextData = pos:(570,30) text:"(From the" pos:(617,30) text:"Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale)" Systems Tropical Storm Ana A weak trough of low pressure formed off the coast of Georgia on June 13. The trough drifted northeastward and gradually began to acquire tropical characteristics. Satellite imagery found a low-level circulation had developed in the system later that day, a sign that a tropical depression was forming. On August 15, the system was deemed the first tropical depression of the season. Continuing northwards, the depression failed to intensify significantly, and was expected to dissipate quickly. However, the depression defied all forecasts upon strengthening into Tropical Storm Ana while off the coast of Massachusetts. While just offshore, Ana produced light rainfall and gusty conditions in Cape Cod as it accelerated off to the northeast. Ana continued its northeasterly track until becoming extratropical while just south of Nova Scotia. When it became a named tropical storm at nearly 42 degrees north, Ana set the record for northernmost development of a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Bill A dissipating cold front spawned an area of low pressure over the Gulf of Mexico on July 20. Tracking slowly northeastward, the low acquired tropical characteristics and strengthened into a tropical depression on July 21. Further strengthening occurred as the depression tracked northeast, and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Bill the next day. Warm sea surface temperatures and increased outflow due to an anticyclone that had formed over Bill caused the storm to steadily strengthen. Before making landfall on the Florida Panhandle, Bill strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. At 22:00 EST, Bill made landfall 100 miles east of Eastpoint, FL. The storm dumped heavy rainfall over Florida that lead to coastal and freshwater flooding, as well as spawning 21 tornadoes in Florida and neighboring Georgia. Overall, Bill caused at least $900,000 (1997 USD) in damages and caused 3 fatalities, two of which were indirectly caused by an automobile incident on Interstate 95. Bill quickly weakened as it moved inland, eventually transforming into an extratropical cyclone over South Carolina on July 26. Bill's extratropical remnants produced hurricane-force wind gusts along the East Coast. Winds gusted to 79 mph (127 km/h) in Ocean City, MD. On July 28, the extratropical remnants of Bill dissipated over Nova Scotia. Hurricane Claudette A tropical wave left the coast of Africa and developed into a tropical depression on August 9. A trough in the westerlies caused the depression to track northwestward. On August 10, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Claudette as it continued a northwesterly track. The storm took a gradual turn to the northeast on August 12 before abruptly jolting northeast. Claudette had continued to strengthen in the past few days, allowing it to become a hurricane on August 13. However, Claudette weakened back to a tropical storm the next day. The storm restrengthened, however, and became a hurricane yet again the next day. On August 17, Claudette reached its peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph (155 km/h) winds. Positioned over cool waters, Claudette began weakening shortly after reaching its peak intensity. The hurricane continued to track north-northeast until transitioning to an extratropical cyclone on August 21. At this time, Claudette was located 300 miles north of the Azores. Storm Names Below is a list of names used for tropical storms that formed in the Atlantic in 1997. This list is the same one that was used in the 1991 season, with the exception of Bill, which replaced Bob. The name Bill was used for the first time in 1997. No names were retired in 1997. Category:Past Hurricane Seasons Category:WMHB Seasons (Cooper) Category:What-might-have-been seasons